1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to articles for displaying retail merchandise and, more specifically, to display racks for prominently retaining and presenting helium-filled novelty balloons generally at eye level in a neat, untangled, and orderly fashion in retail settings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The increasing popularity of lighter-than-air balloons, such as helium-filled balloons, presents a unique problem for retailers. By their nature, these buoyant balloons are difficult to display in a manner that makes it easy for the consumer to see the graphics on the face of the balloons. One widely-used device for displaying helium balloons consists of a so-called xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright),xe2x80x9d such as a confined area delimited by fishline, suspended, for example by chains, at or some distance just below the ceiling of a retail establishment (see FIG. 5). Such a xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d keeps the balloons from blowing and moving around the store. Once a consumer selects a balloon, the balloon can be removed from the corral for purchase by pulling down on the tether, i.e., the string or ribbon affixed to the inflation opening in the bottom of the balloon, until the balloon sinks below the outer frame of the corral.
Such a xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d has many serious shortcomings. First, because the xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d is mounted at or near the ceiling, the balloons are typically 10 to 12 feet above the floor, which makes it difficult for consumers to see the graphics printed on the faces of the balloons, and to see which tether line belongs to a desired balloon, in order to select one or more desired balloons. Consumers have to strain their necks to look upward toward the ceiling at the balloons in the xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d, and some consumers have difficulty reaching the balloon tethers. Since most of the graphics of the balloons are printed on the generally flat front and rear faces of the typical mylar-type novelty balloons, the haphazard placement of balloons in the corral may hide the graphics. This requires consumers to pull on the balloon tethers to rearrange the balloons in order to see the graphics of each of the inflated balloons on display. Also, the balloons with graphics for different seasonal themes and sentiments are typically mixed together. Frequently, balloons are accidentally pulled out of the Balloon Corral(copyright) by consumers to allow viewing of the graphics. Then, if the consumer does not desire a particular balloon, he or she may simply release the tether, allowing the balloon to rise to blow around on the ceiling of the retail establishment outside the Balloon Corral(copyright).
This can be particularly problematic, for example in drug stores, discount stores, convenience stores, and grocery stores, in which novelty items such as balloons may be in a corral in a floral or greeting card department, while a food aisle is only a few yards away. The high ceilings of the growing number of warehouse-style bulk merchandise club stores also make it difficult to retrieve errant balloons, even by their tethers, once the balloons are released from the corrals. Air conditioning systems also have a tendency to blow balloons out of the corrals. Another drawback to the Balloon Corral(copyright) is that sensitive motion detectors in many retail store security systems have a tendency to trigger false intruder alarms due to any movement of the balloons within the corrals, needlessly dispatching security personnel or police officers to the retail location. Yet another drawback to the Balloon Corral(copyright) is the difficulty of servicing it, such as when balloon tethers become tangled in the fish line, because of the corral""s proximity to the ceiling. A high ladder or automatic lift device is required, which may not be readily available at the retailer""s facility.
Another type of rack for displaying balloons is shown in U.S. Design Pat. No. D 400,372. That design patent shows a two-tiered rack, both tiers being generally square, and having a downwardly-open clamp below the lower tier, with a threaded bolt, for mounting the rack. The apparent manner of use of the balloon rack shown in that design patent is to tie each balloon tether to one of the outwardly-projecting, upwardly-bent flanges provided on the lower tier only, with the relatively larger and higher second tier being used to separate the balloon tethers from one another to avoid tangling.
While such a balloon rack permits display of buoyant balloons at a generally lower height than that of the xe2x80x9cBalloon Corral(copyright)xe2x80x9d, it requires tying the tether of the balloon to the lower tier for securement. Since most balloon tethers are string or ribbon, the tying for securement and untying by the consumer often undesirably frays the tether, or simply permits them, if not properly re-tied to the rack, to undesirably float up to the store""s ceiling.
Recently, balloon weights have become commonplace as the desired devices for securing lighter-than-air balloons against floating to the ceiling of retail establishments, and later, as convenient handles for the ultimate consumer. One such balloon weight has a circular profile and is in the shape of a spool, wherein a lowermost end of the tether is secured to or near the center of the spool, such as the type of balloon weight shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,314. Another spool-type balloon weight is available from Premium Balloon Accessories(copyright) of Sharon Center, Ohio under the trade name xe2x80x9cPremium Ribbon Weight(trademark)xe2x80x9d. The balloon weight of Premium Balloon Accessories can be used to selectively release desired lengths of the tether of the balloon and provide a useful handle for consumers, including children, to hold the balloon and prevent it from floating away when they exit the retail building.
The Premium Ribbon weights initially includes a flat plastic balloon coupling member integral with a generally spool-shaped plastic disc. A V-shaped weakened groove is provided along the area of attachment between the balloon coupling member and the spool-shaped disc. The balloon coupling member includes a double-sided adhesive strip on one side thereof, and a ribbon-receiving aperture or slit is provided in the center of the coupling member. One end of a length of ribbon is secured through the ribbon-receiving aperture, looped about the balloon coupling member, and secured to the balloon coupling member by a first side of the double-sided adhesive strip.
Prior to attachment to the inflation valve or opening of a balloon, the balloon coupling member is broken away from the spool-shaped member by snapping the two components apart along the weakened V-shaped groove. The second side of the double-sided adhesive strip is provided with a removable backing, so that the second side can be exposed when the backing is removed for adhesive attachment of the balloon coupling member to a balloon. The remainder of the length of ribbon is tightly wrapped in the spool, and the opposite end of the ribbon extends through the inner-most portion of the spool and provided with a knot to prevent the balloon from floating away from the spool-type weight.
Other spool-type balloon weights having circular, or even other shaped profiles, simply have an extension with an aperture, or eyelet, to receive a lowermost tied end of the tether. It would be desirable for a balloon display rack to accommodate such balloon weights and provide a convenient, easy to use location for retailers to mount balloons in a way that facilitates viewing of the graphics on each balloon""s faces. The Premium Ribbon Weight(trademark) device also has such an eyelet integral with the spool-shaped disc, which could be used for tying additional balloons to the weight, or to hook the balloon weight onto certain conventional balloon racks.
The display rack of the present invention provides an elongated, upwardly-open balloon weight retention slot that accommodates several balloon weights, for example spool-type balloon weights of many sizes, types and designs, in a side-by-side fashion. Although it is understood that the retention slot of the balloon display rack of the present invention can be used with various types of balloon weights, and that the invention is not limited to use with spool-type balloon weights, the invention works particularly well with spool-type balloon weights, so more detailed description as to its use with spool-type balloon weights is provided.
Each spool-type balloon weight preferably has an inflated helium-filled balloon tethered to it, with a short length, i.e. generally about five to twelve inches of the balloon tether, exposed. The elongated retention slot can be secured at the top of a rod or support arm, which is provided at its lower end with means for securing the rack to, for example, the top wall of a greeting card display unit or otherwise to a similar thin, flat, and sturdy upright panel member. Alternatively, the means for securing the rack to upright panels or other surfaces can be provided directly on the frame of the elongated retention slot. In one exemplary form of the present invention, the rack is made of laminated wire and the means for securing the rack to the top wall of a greeting card display or similar sturdy panel includes two wire extensions that project forwardly or rearwardly of a central rod, so that a thin gap is created between the rod and the wire extensions to securely receive the wall or thin panel therebetween.
Within the elongated retention slot, pairs of spaced-apart generally U-shaped or J-shaped wires extend downwardly from front and rear wires at the top of the elongated slot. Each pair of U-shaped or J-shaped wires generally supports one spool-type balloon weight in the retention slot formed therein. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that by increasing the length of the elongated slot, and increasing the number of pairs of U-shaped or J-shaped wires in the elongated slot, more balloons can be displayed on a given rack.
Although the balloon weights are supported in a side-by-side orientation, the girth of the inflated balloons is sufficient to keep the balloon tethers from becoming entangled with one another, particularly when only a relatively short length of tether, e.g. five to twelve inches, is released or unwound from the spool-type balloon weight. It is also possible to mount balloons on the rack with alternating lengths of balloon tethers exposed, so that the mounted balloons are at alternating heights and their graphics are more visible to consumers. The features and benefits of the present invention are explained in greater detail in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the drawings, and the claims.